Southern Sudan president sworn in; vote on separation from north next on agenda
By APFriday, May 21, 2010
South Sudan president sworn in; referendum is next
JUBA, Sudan — The president of southern Sudan has been sworn in eight months ahead of a scheduled referendum on whether the south will secede from the north.
President Salva Kiir told about 1,000 people gathered on a blistering Friday morning that he would promote unity and consolidate a democratic system of government.
The south and the northern government, led by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, must still negotiate how the two regions will share oil revenues and divide access to the Nile River waters before the referendum.
Analysts worry that the 5-year-old southern government will struggle in completing a daunting array of tasks prior to the holding of its self-determination referendum.
